NJ Senator Fights ‘Exploitative’ Electricity Hikes With New Proposed Laws

ESSEX COUNTY, NJ — When people are being forced to choose between putting food on the table or keeping the lights on, it’s time to make a change in the status quo, a New Jersey state senator says.

Sen. Britnee Timberlake (NJ-34) recently held a news conference to spotlight several proposed laws that she has introduced in Trenton. The goal? To tackle rising utility costs across the state – which she alleges are being made worse by “unfair practices” and “corporate exploitation.”

New electricity rates kicked in earlier this month for customers of Atlantic City Electric, PSE&G, Jersey Central Power & Light and Rockland Energy – all of whom can expect to see between a 17.2 and 20.2 percent increase on their electricity bills. The average customer will see their bill increase by more than $20 every month, some estimates say.

The latest hikes are due to the results of last year’s annual New Jersey Basic Generation Service auction, which determines the cost companies pay for power generated outside of the state. The New Jersey Board of Public Utilities said a rise in demand and a stressed power grid are also behind the rise in prices.

• See Related: NJ Electric Bills Set To Skyrocket As Hikes Begin
• See Related: Summer Electric Bill Hike Nears, PSEG Plans To Offer Short-Term Relief

Sen. Timberlake – who represents several towns in Essex County – has pointed her finger in another direction, however.

Last month, Timberlake penned an op-ed that accused the state’s utility companies of exploiting their customers in a time of need. Here’s the problem, she argued:

“Imagine selling lemons for 25 cents per lemon. One day these lemons become essential for survival. Therefore, you hike the price to $100 per lemon because you're the only seller—a monopoly. Now, the government has to step in to help struggling buyers, covering part of the cost with taxpayer money, while consumers pay the rest. Prices keep rising, subsidies grow, people struggle to pay, and the cycle continues. Meanwhile, you and your circle of Wall Street friends pocket massive profits, while everyday people fight to afford what they need. This is exactly how privatized electric and gas companies operate—controlling a necessary commodity, inflating prices, and funneling wealth to investors. It's not just unfair; it's an unethical, unsustainable, cycle of corporate greed that is a primary contributor to inflation.”

Speaking at a press conference at her office in East Orange on May 30, the senator outlined a package of bills that she is spearheading in the Legislature, which she says would increase oversight of utility companies, cap excessive rate hikes and “ensure fairness for consumers.”

The list includes:

• S4480 – Commissions a de-privatization study to explore shifting from privately held, Wall Street-traded corporations to a publicly managed energy system for affordability
• S4481 – Rolls energy and utility rates back to 2020 levels
• S4372 / A5446 – Caps rate increases at 2% every five years
• S4483 – Requires energy companies to fully fund assistance programs directly, ensuring resources never run dry and taxpayers aren’t footing the bill
• S4478 – Reforms appliance insurance, mandating guaranteed coverage or premium refunds
• S4479 – Ends lump-sum billing tied to equal payment plans and estimated charges, ensuring fairness for consumers
• S4480 – Protects consumers from price gouging by third-party energy suppliers

“This isn’t just about utility bills – it’s about basic survival,” Timberlake urged. “Families are being forced to choose between paying for electricity and buying groceries. We must demand accountability and fair pricing.”

Reverend Ella Johnson – a widow in her 80s – was one of the people who spoke at Timberlake’s press event. She presented bills that fluctuated from one month to another. Sometimes they hit $150, other times they reached $500.

“Even when I'm away on vacation and not consuming electricity or gas, my bill remains unreasonably high,” Johnson said.

The 34th district includes the municipalities of Belleville, Bloomfield, East Orange, Glen Ridge, Nutley and Orange.

Local officials from several of the above towns and cities also spoke at Timberlake’s news conference.

Orange mayor Dwayne Warren said that rising utility costs are pushing residents out of their communities. Meanwhile, Orange council president Adrienne Wooten pushed people to support the senator’s bill package, saying it will give some breathing room to struggling families and businesses.

East Orange mayor Ted Green said the rate hike will squeeze households, adding that utility bills already rank among the second or third-highest expenses for local families.

• See Related: NJ Lawmakers Scramble To Stop Utility Increase

REPUBLICAN EFFORTS

Republican lawmakers in the Statehouse have also put forth legislative efforts to deal with rising energy costs.

Senate Republicans say they have been proposing “common-sense” legislation that would lower utility costs for New Jersey families. According to a joint statement from the lawmakers, some recent bills and amendments have included:

• Sen. Anthony Bucco (NJ-25) proposed an amendment to SJR-154 to expand the scope of proposed investigations into rising energy rates to include the BPU, rather than leaving the investigation in the BPU’s hands – which he alleged is a “major source of the problem.”
• Sen. Joe Pennacchio (NJ-26) offered an amendment to A-5466/S-4318 to include a proposal from legislation he sponsored with Sen. Latham Tiver (NJ-8) that would eliminate the Societal Benefits Charge and Sales Tax fees on electricity bills, “directly lowering costs for consumers.”
• In April, Sen. Latham Tiver (NJ-8) and Sen. Pennacchio introduced S-4398 to suspend the sales and use tax and societal benefits charge on electric and gas utility bills to directly lower costs.
• In March, Sen. Michael Testa (NJ-1) introduced legislation, S-4285, to abolish the BPU, arguing that the agency “abandoned its duty to protect New Jersey consumers.”

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